Craig Powell
Recommended for his commercial dispute resolution skills in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Craig is a dispute resolution litigation specialist protecting the brand value and integrity of many market leading clients in the, media, pharmaceutical, health, food and beverage, banking and financial services, superannuation, energy and hospitality industries.
The hallmark of Craig’s litigation practice is his consistent, determined and unwavering focus on reputation protection within a dispute, client service, commercial strategy and best litigated outcomes.
Craig has deep expertise in managing large scale class action defences, complex disputes involving potential significant brand, financial and reputational loss for his clients, where there is also a considerable public or media interest. Craig is regularly sought after by clients to provide trouble shooting advice to avoid commercial disputes or to structure the effective conduct of disputes from their beginning with a critical emphasis on protecting brand value and integrity.
Craig resolves disputes in the Supreme Court and the Federal Court with a particular emphasis on protecting a client’s reputation and brand in class actions, urgent interlocutory applications and in complex multi-party disputes.
Craig regularly advises on and represents his client’s interests in appeals to the NSW Court of Appeal, Federal Full Court of Appeal, High Court and International Courts of Arbitration.
Craig also manages Coronial Inquiries and regulatory proceedings where the brand integrity of his clients is at risk, particularly in matters where there is a high level of media interest. Craig works seamlessly with crisis managers and PR consultants to ensure a consistent brand position to the media and within the regulatory or Court environment.
Craig regularly presents risk management training to the boards of numerous clients and is a member of the Communications and Media Law Association, the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association.
Key expertise
- Dispute Resolution
- Class actions
- Complex brand and reputation disputes
Experience
Craig’s experience includes advising:
- Pharmaceutical, FMCG, Banking, Financial Services, Superannuation and Property industry clients and Statutory Corporations in Class Action Defences;
- Leading media, banking and FMCG clients in complex multi-party commercial disputes in the Federal Court and State Supreme Courts regarding substantial financial, reputational and brand integrity disputes;
- Two Australian TV networks and the NSW Government in ground breaking NSW Supreme Court proceedings over the licensing of over 300 transmission sites with multiple users;
- Multinational chemical/pharmaceutical companies in obtaining urgent injunctions restraining competitors from broadcasting national advertising campaigns which involve alleged misleading ‘comparative’ claims;
- A NSW energy provider representing its interests in a Coronial Inquiry regarding significant bushfires in NSW and a subsequent class action defence and management of subsequent claims; and
- Australia’s largest privately owned media corporation in numerous complex multi-party commercial disputes around Australia.